Centrifuging device



Dec. 21, 1965 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 E. RUEGG CENTRIFUGING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ERNST RUEGG BY J x204 At t orneys.

Dec. 21, 1965 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 E. RUEGG 3,224,588

CENTRIFUGING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ERNST RUEGG ttorneys United States Patent 332 3533 CENTRHFUGING DEVICE Ernst ltuegg, Kusnacht, Switzerland, assignor to Escher Wyss Aktiengesellschaft, Zurich, Switzerland, 21 corporation of Switzeriand Filed Dec. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 160,042 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Dec. 29, 1960, 14,538/60 3 Claims. ((11. 210-327) This invention relates to a centrifuging device, particularly adapted for high outputs, for separating the liquid from the solid matter of material to be centrifuged.

To be able to cope with high centrifuging outputs, it has been customary heretofore to employ appropriately large screening drum diameters. In pusher-type centrifuges, the length of the drum, when heavy, filterable centrifuged material had to be processed, has had to be subdivided into a number of stages, through which the centrifuged mate-rial passed successively. Apart from the considerable constructional expenditure of multi-stage centrifuges, the large drum length necessary is very unsatisfactory for centrifuging material, the grain of which is to be protected as carefully as possible.

It is the object of the invention to provide a centrifuging unit which is suitable for the highest centrifuging outputs, is simple in construction and permits of careful centrifuging. In a centrifuging device of the kind hereinbefore referred to, for this purpose according to the invention, the screening surface of the device is subdivided into a number of small-diameter foraminous separator cages, through which the centrifuged material flows in parallel.

In this way, high centrifugal forces can be produced in the separator cages at low peripheral speeds. Rapid extraction of the liquid is possible, so that short cage lengths are sufiicient. The centrifuging output of the unit can also be increased as desired by increasing the number of small-diameter individual cages, and during operation, the existing requirements can be easily met by switching individual cages off and on, without impairing the quality of the centrifuging process.

Constructional examples of the invention are illustrated in simplified form in the drawing.

FIG. 1 shows an axial vertical section on the line I-I of FIG. 2 through a centrifuging device,

FIG. 2 shows a section on the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an axial vertical section on the line IIIIII of FIG. 4 of another embodiment, and

FIG. 4 shows a section on the line IVIV of FIG. 3.

The centrifuging device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has in a housing 1 seven small-diameter foraminous separator cages 2, among which the screening surface of the device is divided. The centrifuged material passes through these separator cages 2 in parallel. The cages are carried in each case by a shaft 3, to which an armature 4 of a motor 5 is secured, and which are journalled in bearings 6 and 7 in the housing 1. Each separator cage has an inlet end with a hopper 8 and a pusher-member 9, which is reciprocated in the axial direction of the separator cage 2 by a servomotor 10 mounted in the shaft 3. The servomotor 10 is supplied with oil under pressure from a source of pressure oil, not shown, comprising a motor and oil pump. Each separator cage is provided with its own centrifuged material supply pipe or branch 11 connected via a proportioning or shut-off device 12 to a ice distributor pipe 13. Each individual cage may be regulated separately, for example by throttling or increasing the supply of material to be centrifuged when the power absorbed by the motor differs from a predetermined value.

The rotors consisting of separator cage 2, shaft 3, armature 4, pusher mechanism 9 and servomotor 10 are adapted to be removed from and inserted intq the housing 1 individually. For the removal of the material discharged from the separator cage, a stationary annular trough 14 is provided round each outlet end, which trough collects the centrifuged solid matter and leads it through an orifice 15 in the bed of the trough in a compact, di-

rected stream 16 onto a conveyor belt 17, which is common to all the separator cages.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4, separator cages 18 are journalled in honeycomb arrangement in a housing 19. The outlet ends of the superimposed cages project somewhat beyond the outlet ends of the underlying cages, so that the stream of solid matter issuing from the annular troughs can pass unimpeded onto a conveyor belt 20.

If necessary, without departing from the principle of the invention, the small-diameter separator cages may also be constructed in two-stage or multi-stage fashion. Instead of an individual drive for each separator cage, the cages and their pusher mechanisms may also be driven by a common motor.

In addition to the advantages already described and resulting from the steps according to the invention, all the advantages of the known centrifuging devices are retained in the new centrifuging device. Driving side and working side are strictly separate. The discharge of solid matter occurs at one point, and the solid matter can be removed by means of a single conveyor belt. The space requirements and the attention required are small.

What is claimed is:

1. A centrifuging device for separating the liquid from the solids of a material being centrifuged, comprising:

(a) a plurality of pusher type centrifuge drums mounted in side by side substantially parallel relationship, but spaced from one another;

(b) said drums being arranged with their outlet ends facing one side of the device;

(c) a single collecting chamber into which all of the outlet ends open;

(d) distributing means supplying material to be centrifuged' to said drums in parallel flow relation;

(e) means for collecting the liquid leaving said drums; (f) an annular trough associated with the outlet end of each drum and each receiving centrifuged solids issuing from the corresponding drum and forming them into a flowing, directed stream,

(g) the troughs being so arranged that the directed stream of centrifuged solids from each drum is separate of the other streams and directed so as to pass clear of the other drums;

(h) means for collecting all of said streams;

(i) means driving said drums independently of one another; and

(j) separate mounting means for each drum whereby each is removable as a unit from said device.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which (a) the directed streams are substantially parallel with one another, and are directed toward said collecting means; and

(b) said drums being differently spaced from the collecting means and the outlet end of any drum projecting axially beyond the outlet end of any other drum lying closer to the collecting means.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which (a) the collecting means comprises a conveyor belt moving transversely to the axes of said drums.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,156,253 4/1939 Clarke 23317 Bryson 23317 Pecker 210-73 X Buddeberg 210-376 Buddeberg 210-376 X Bullen 210-330 X Fontein et a1 210-512 Ruegg 210376 REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

1O HERBERT L. MARTIN, Examiner. 

1. A CENTRIFUGING DEVICE FOR SEPARATING THE LIQUID FROM THE SOLIDS OF A MATERIAL BEING CENTRIFUGED, COMPRISING: (A) A PLURALITY OF PUSHER TYPE CENTRIFUGE DRUMS MOUNTED IN SIDE BY SIDE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP, BUT SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER; (B) SAID DRUMS BEING ARRANGED WITH THEIR OUTLET ENDS FACING ONE SIDE OF THE DEVICE; (C) A SINGLE COLLECTING CHAMBER INTO WHICH ALL OF THE OUTLET ENDS OPEN; (D) DISTRIBUTING MEANS SUPPLYING MATERIAL TO BE CENTRIFUGED TO SAID DRUMS IN PARALLEL FLOW RELATION; (E) MEANS FOR COLLECTING THE LIQUID LEAVING SAID DRUMS; (F) AN ANNULAR TROUGH ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTLET END OF EACH DRUM AND EACH RECEIVING CENTRIFUGED SOLIDS ISSUING FROM, THE CORRESPONDING DRUM AND FORMING THEM INTO A FLOWING, DIRECTED STREAM, (G) THE TROUGHS BEING SO ARRANGED THAT THE DIRECTED STREAM OF CENTRIFUGED SOLIDS FROM EACH DRUM IS SEPARATE OF THE OTHER STREAMS AND DIRECTED SO AS TO PASS CLEAR OF THE OTHER DRUMS; (H) MEANS FOR COLLECTING ALL OF SAID STREAMS; (I) MEANS DRIVING SAID DRUMS INDEPENDENTLY OF ONE ANOTHER; AND (J) SEPARATE MOUNTING MEANS FOR EACH DRUM WHEREBY EACH IS REMOVABLE AS A UNIT FROM SAID DEVICE. 